Ear tag clamping tool

ABSTRACT

The invention starts with a pair of parallel jaw pliers of the type having a pair of handles articulated from a common pivot and having distal portions extending beyond the common pivot. Each of a pair of parallel jaws is pivotally attached to one of the distal ends of the handles about midway along the length of the jaw. The proximal end of each jaw, that extending toward the hand-held body of the handles, is connected to the one of the handles to which it is not pivotally attached by a slot-and pin arrangement, this structure insuring that the jaws will remain parallel to each other as they are forced closer together by squeezing the handles. The distal ends of the jaws are left free, and are modified in accordance with the invention. The minimum modification is to slot one of the jaws and to attach a spring clip to the second. The slot is formed from the distal extremity and extends along the length of the jaw to terminate in a blind end, its purpose being to receive a shaft or stud member extending from an ear tag held in the second jaw, as the jaws are closed together, and then to permit withdrawal of the tool from the tag as attached to an animal&#39;&#39;s ear. The spring clip is secured to the inner surface of the second jaw, i.e., the surface facing a corresponding inner surface of the first jaw. Only the end closer to the pivot point of the handles is secured to the jaw, the balance of the spring clip extending toward the distal end of the jaw and, in relaxed position, touching or lying close to the jaw. As the base plate of an ear tag is slipped between jaw and spring clip, the spring clip exerts a clamping force on the plate to hold it in place. Further modifications include providing a similar spring clip on the first jaw to hold either a washer or a plate in such position that a hole therethrough is aligned with the shaft of the ear tag. In addition, the inner surface of either or both jaws may be notched to seat the member secured by the spring clip in aligned position.

United States Patent July 30,1974

Allen et a1.

[ EAR TAG CLAMPING TOOL [76] Inventors: Eulalie H. Allen, 2725 S. Kingsbury Ave., Forth Worth, 76118; Earnest 'R. Allen, 1605 Phelps, Rt. 3,

Seagoville, 75159; Linwood W. Dickerson, P. O. Box 1133, La Portc, all of Tex. 77571 [22] Filed: Oct. 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 405,273

[52] U.S. Cl 8l/5.1 R, 81/418, 29/238 [51] Int. Cl B25b 7/00, B25b 7/02 [58] Field of Search 81/5.1 A, 418, 426, 373, 81/425; 29/238, 268, 243.54; 30/134, 363

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,052 l/l90l Bernard 30/363 955,386 4/l9l0 Crossman 8l/5.1 1,804,648 5/l93l Scribner 30/363 3,392,447 7/1968 Hendricks ct al 30/363 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 260.837 6/1913 Germany 30/363 Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmRoy H. Smith, Jr.

[5 7 ABSTRACT The proximal end of each jaw, that extending toward the hand-held body of the handles, is connected to the one of the handles to which it is not pivotally attached by a slot-and pin arrangement, this structure insuring that the jaws will remain parallel to each other as they are forced closer together by squeezing the handles. The distal ends of the jaws are left free, and are moditied in accordance with the invention.

The minimum modification is to slot one of the jaws and to attach a spring clip to the second. The slot is formed from the distal extremity and extends along the length of the jaw to terminate in a blind end, its

purpose being to receive a shaft or stud member extending from an ear tag held in the second jaw, as the jaws are closed together, and then to permit withdrawal of the tool from the tag as attached to an animals ear. The spring clip is secured to the inner surface of the second jaw, i.e., the surface facing a corresponding inner surface of the first jaw. Only the end closer to the pivot point of the handles is secured to the jaw, the balance of the spring clip extending toward the distal end of the jaw and, in relaxed position, touching or lying close to the jaw. As the base plate of an ear tag is slipped between jaw and spring clip, the spring clip exerts a clamping force on the plate to hold it in place.

Further modifications include providing a similar spring clip on the first jaw to hold either a washer or a plate in such position that a hole therethrough is aligned with the shaft of the ear tag. in addition, the

' inner surface of either or both jaws may be notched to seat the member secured by the spring clip in aligned position.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures as as l8 l4- zo 5 I I H 1 L w L I 7 :7 f 46 5 5 5 4a 4 P ,2 44 1 I) r-- EAR TAG CLAMPING TOOL FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention is an ear tag securing tool, more specifically a one-hand operated clamping tool or pair of parallel jaw pliers. It is specifically designed for use with an ear tag having an indicia-bearing base plate which fits onto the inner surface of the ear of a beef cattle or other quadruped having ears that perk up to a raised position on various occasions. Such ear tag has a shaft or stud secured to the reverse surface of the plate, the shaft having a pointed tip for penetrating the ear and flange-like intermediate portions which project sideways to catch the back surface of the animals ear; a washer may be locked onto the installed shaft from its tip end, if desired, to make certain the shaft is not pulled out, and any excess projection of the shaft may be cut off and discarded. Such an ear tag is disclosed in the copending application of one of the present inventors, Eulalie H. Allen, together with her coinventor, Earnest R. Allen, Ser. No. 405,272, filed Oct. 11, 1973.

PRIOR ART AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Applicants are not aware of any ear tagging tool in commercial use or on sale. Various persons have heretofore conceived ideas for ear tagging tools on which they have been granted patents, but all of these exhibit differences and disadvantages. One such tool punches a rivet through the ear and requires the use of three parallel jaws, the third being resiliently mounted between the other two; this tool included parts which swage or bellow out the unheaded end of the rivet. Another patented tool operates on an ear tag generally similar to the type used in applicants tool, but the tool itself is strictly a scissors-type of too], even the parts holding the parts of the ear tag rotating along circular arcs as the jaws are pressed together; this has the serious disadvantage that the shaft of the ear tag must also travel a circular route, or rather various points along the length of the shaft must travel along various circular routes, of varying radius. Since the pointed tip of the shaft travels at a radius larger than its juncture with the plate of the ear tag, operation of the tool will necessarily produce a hole or slit in the animals ear'of greater height than is necessary to accommodate the shaft. Furthermore, operation of such a tool with a longshafted ear tag pressed into a washer on the other side of the animals ear may well prove impossible, as the shaft tip may not pass through the hole in the washer when they first meet.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an ear tag clamping tool operable to mount an ear tag of the type described without the disadvantages of prior art tools.

Another object is to provide such an ear tagging tool having the advantages of parallel jaw pliers and lacking the disadvantages of scissors-type pliers.

Another object is to provide such a tool in which the part or parts of the ear tag are firmly but removably secured to one or both of a pair of jaws which remain parallel to one another throughout the process of attaching the tag to an animal's ear.

Another object is to provide such a tool in which the entire ear tag is firmly but removably secured to one of the parallel jaws, and in which provision is made in the other jaw for the lateral entry of the portion of the shaft of the ear tag which projects behind the animal s ear, and also for removing the tool from the ear tag as finally assembled to the animal's ear.

Another object is to provide such an ear tag as set forth in the preceding object but in which an additional member of the ear tag assembly is firmly but removably secured to the other of said jaws.

Another object is to provide such an ear tag in which means are provided in one or both parallel jaws to seat the part of the ear tag held therein which fix the extent to which said part is inserted between said jaws along the length thereof.

SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The above and further objects are achieved in embodiments of the present invention which start with the familiar parallel jaw pliers, such as are used with single hole paper punches modified to eliminate the punch and hole therefor, leaving only blank parallel jaws having a generally rectangular shape and with the inner surface of one jaw parallel to and facing the inner surface of the other jaw.

The basic parts of such pliers are a pair of levers articulated on a common pivot, such levers having relatively long proximal portions which serve as handles and relatively short distal portions to which the parallel jaws are pivotally secured at about the mid-length of the jaws. Each jaw also has a distal portion which is cantilever terminated or free ended, and a proximal end extending downwardly through an opening in the handle to which it is not pivoted. This end of the jaw is typically slotted so that the jaw may move up and down over a pin fixed in the same handle, and a tension spring is mounted inside the handle, one end being fixed to the handle near its bottom termination and the other end to the proximal end of the jaw, near or at the slot therein. With this type of parallelogram construction, the jaws rotate somewhat as the handles are squeezed together, but they always remain parallel to one another and their distances from any plane perpendicular to the jaws remain equal to one another.

According to the present invention, the prior art parallel jaw pliers just described are modified at least to the minimum extent of providing a longitudinal slot in one of the parallel jaws and a spring clip in the other. The spring clip has its lower end secured to the inner surface of its jaw at a point spaced from the free end of the jaw and extends along the same surface to terminate in a free end touching or closely adjacent such surface. Its purpose is to hold the base plate of the ear tag inserted between jaw and spring clip, and it is bifurcated as deemed advantageous in clamping the plate in position.

The shaft part of the ear tag extends from the plate toward the other jaw, typically in perpendicular relationship. The slot in such other jaw is disposed to receive that portion of the shaft which extends through the animals ear as the jaws are tightened on both sides of the ear.

Other adaptations include a second spring clip, similarly secured and disposed on the jaw not holding the ear tag proper, this second clip being adapted to hold a washer or second plate, when used, in position so that the shaft will pass through a hole in the auxiliary member. Also, each jaw may be notched so that the plate or washer will be provided with a seat, thus defining the distance into which it may be inserted from the extremities of the jaws. This feature is particularly desirable when the auxiliary member (washer or second plate) is used, as the seating of both members in their respective notches insures accurate alignment of the shaft of the ear tag with the hole through the auxiliary member. Additional notches may be added in either or both jaws to serve as stops for different size ear tags, e.g., of diameters of 2, 2% and 3 inches. Each notch also provides the advantage of not requiring the close attention of the user to the act of inserting the parts of the ear tag in the tool, as this may be done as much by feel as by sight.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES In the attached drawing forming a part of the present application, the reader will undoubtedly more easily grasp the structure and operation of the present invention. In such drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the ear tag clamping tool of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same tool, looking at the edge presenting the slotted parallel jaw.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pair of parallel jaws, together with their spring clips, in the same relative positions they occupy in the assembled tool except for a greater lateral separation.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of a slightly modified embodiment, one in which no provision is made in the slotted jaw for a spring clip or other retaining means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the ear tag clamping tool of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. l-3 of the drawing. Such embodiment takes the basic form of a pair of parallel jaw pliers having a pair of handles and 12 pivotally securedtogether by the common pin 14. The distal portion of each handle, that lying to the left of common pin 14 in the drawing, has secured to it in pivotal fashion one of the parallel jaws, upper jaw 20 being secured to handle 12 by pin 18 and lower jaw 22 to handle 10 by pin 16.

Each jaw is thus secured at about its mid-length, and its proximal portion is slotted at 26, 24 to receive a pin 28, 30 secured to and extending from wall to wall of the hollow handles 10, 12. It should be noted that the slotand-pin construction 26 and 28 connects upper jaw 20 to handle 10 while pin 18 connects the same jaw to handle 12, while lower jaw 22 is connected to both handles in the reverse order. The four pins l6, 18, 28 and 30 constitute the corners of a parallelogram having pin 14 at its center, and this construction insures that jaws 20 and 22 will remain parallel to and co-extensive with each other as they are caused to approach one another.

The handles and jaws are biased toward a stop position by tension spring 32 within handle 12 and tension spring 34 within handle 10. Spring 32 has its proximal end secured to handle 12 at 33, and its distal end secured to jaw 22 at 31, while 34 is similarly secured at connections 37 and 35. The maximum open position is defined by pins 28 and 30 coming to rest in the blind ends of slots 26 and 24, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1.

The construction thus far defined is common to many parallel jaw tools heretofore known, but it must be kept in mind that the structure between and on the two jaws 20 and 22 is altogether different in the prior art. The two jaws may be left plain or knurled on their facing and parallel inside surfaces for use as a pair of pliers, or a laterally projecting punch may be mounted on the jaw with a registering hole in the other for use in punching holes in paper, leather and the like. The only similarity between such constructions and that of the present invention is the use of facing parallel surfaces on the inside of each jaw, over that portion extending to the right from their free ends.

The present invention was conceived as a means for securing the ear tag shown in FIG. 1 to the animal ear E inserted between the jaws of the tool. To this end the upper jaw 20 is provided with a slot 52 extending from the terminus of its free end to a bottom or blind end disposed to receive the shaft S of the ear tag as the jaws are pressed together. It is necessary that slot 52 extend all the way to the terminus of the free end of jaw 20 when a washer W (or second plate like P) is assembled to the shaft S, as indicated in FIGS. 1-3; it is desirable but not essential that the slot be so extensive when no provision is made for such a washer or second plate, as indicated in FIG. 4.

Slot 52 is necessary in the first place to receive the end of shaft S projecting from the ear E (and washer W) after the tool is manipulated to attach the ear tag to the animal 5 car. It also serves as a quick means for withdrawing the tool from the ear-and-ear tag assembly, by moving the tool to the right and generally along its longitudinal axis, the projecting portion of the shaft in such case passing through the open end of the slot 52 when the jaws are still pressed together. With respect to the depth of slot 52, it is preferred that it extend completely through the thickness of jaw 20, along a vertical line of the drawing figure, as this insures the utility of the tool for a wide range of lengths of the shaft S.

A second major feature of the invention is the spring clip 44 secured to the lower jaw 22. As indicated in the drawing, spring clip 44 has its proximal end secured to the inner surface of jaw 22 at a point 48 adjacent the area where the handles 10 and 12 pass through one another, and extends along the length of such surface toward the free end of jaw 22. It terminates in a free end which is preferably bifurcated by slot 45 to fit around shaft S of the ear tag, although it could have a unitary terminus and stop short of the shaft. Spring 44 is made of a springy sheet metal and is bent or disposed so that its free end portion touches or lies closely adjacent the inner surface of jaw 22. It can be moved from this rest position toward the upper jaw 20, but when so moved or flexed it exerts a reaction or clamping force on whatever object causes it to be so flexed. 2

Spring 44 is thus ideally adapted and disposed to secure the plate P of an ear tag in the desired position depicted in FIG. 1, and exerts sufficient force clamping the plate to jaw 22 so that accidental movement of the ear tag relative to jaw 22 is highly improbable. At the same time, this clamping force will not prevent deliberate relative movement of the ear tag along the length of the jaw, as when inserting plate P between jaw and spring clip, or withdrawing the tool along the same line of action after attaching the tag to an animals ear.

The two structural features thus far described are the only features indispensable to operation of the ear tag clamping tool of the present invention when the ear tag assembly consists only of the single element shown in FIG. 4, i.e., the indicia bearing plate P and integrally attached shaft S, no washer or second plate being used in the assembly. As therein shown, upper jaw may be left untouched except for the longitudinally extending slot whose bottom is indicated by the dashed vertical line through the thickness of jaw 20. As mentioned above, such slot (when no washer or second plate is used) need not extend all the way through the free end of the jaw but may be more in the form of a hole, withdrawal in such cases being accomplished first by allowing the tool to spring open at least to the extent required to withdraw the tip of shaft S from jaw 20', and thereafter moving the tool to the right to slide plateP from its position under the spring clip.

Another highly desirable, though not indispensable, feature is the notch or shoulder 40 formed on the inner surface of jaw 22. Notch 40 serves as a stop for plate P as the ear tag is being mounted in the tool. It is useful in the first instance in mounting the ear tag so that its shaft S is aligned with the slotin upper jaw 20 or 20', thus avoiding the type of mishap that might occur if the tip of the shaft were to be pressed against a solid portion of the upper jaw.

Notch 40 is useful in the second instance in providing a manual mounting technique, rather than one in which the user must rely on its eyesight to mount the plate P under spring 44. With the aid of shoulder 40 he can feel plate P being properly seated in the jaw, whereas without such a shoulder or equivalent stop he must divert attention from the animal he is about to tag to make certain of a proper engagement of ear tag and clamping tool.

For similar reasons already given for the lower jaw, upper jaw 20 is provided with a spring clip 46 when a washer W or second plate (not illustrated) like P is to be held by the upper jaw. As in the instance of jaw 44, the upper spring 46 has its proximal end secured 'to the inner surface of jaw 20 at a point 50 remote from the free end of the jaw, and extends therealong toward such free end to terminate cantilever fashion in an end touching or lying closely adjacent the inner surface of the jaw. Spring 46 is also preferably bifurcated at its free end, to fit around slot 52 and the opening in washer W (or second plate P), and is bent or disposed to exert a clamping force on any object like washer W inserted between spring and jaw.

Again as in the case of lower jaw 22, the upper jaw 20 may be provided with an optional notch or shoulder 36 to serve as a seat and stop for washer W. The position of notch 36 along the length of jaw 20 is such that the hole in the washer is directly aligned with shaft S of the ear tag on a common longitudinal axis. Again the notch serves the auxiliary purpose of making it possible to mount the washer in the jaw without the need for diverting his visual attention to the pre-assembly operation.

The upper jaw 20 is also provided with a second shoulder 58, as shown in FIG. 1, such shoulder lying more remote from the free end of jaw 20 than the first shoulder 36. It should be noted that shoulder 58 lies approximately opposite the shoulder 40 in lower jaw 22. Thus shoulder 58 serves as a stop and seat for a second plate of approximately the same size as the plate P shown in the figure. This is done so that an assembly of the ear tag proper (plate P and integral shaft S) with a second plate may be accomplished, and such second plate may be embellished with the same indicia as the plate P which fits on'the inner surface of the animals ear.

It should be noted that although the first shoulder 36 must be passed over before seating a large plate in the second shoulder 58, this is not an insurmountable objection. The material of the second plate may be quite thin, thus making it flexible enough to easily pass over shoulder 36 to seat in shoulder 58. It should also be noted that all of the shoulders 40, 36 and 58, while shown as flat surfaces in the drawing, are preferably curved to correspond to any curved surfaces on the plate or washer for which they furnish a seat. This is desirable to furnish another degree of restraint for the ear tag members seated in the jaws, that of motion along the width of the jaws, i.e., in and out of the paper as the jaws are shown in FIG. 1.

The looped strap 54 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as attached by eye 56 to the proximal end of jaw 10 is a desirable addition to the tool. Strap 54 is a wrist strap which has a sufficient opening as not to interfere with the users operation of the tool, and yet will hang on his wrist when the tool is not in use to prevent accidental dropping and possible loss thereof. The eye 56 joining wrist strap 54 to the tool is so designed and provided with an opening 60 that when the tool is being used, should the animal being tagged jerk its head unexpectedly, the eye would open up to free the hand of the user.

The tool as described and illustrated does not require any additional structure to define a stop to the closing action of jaws 20 and 22. Stoppage occurs automatically when the sloping surfaces 38 and 42, and the springs 44 and 46 secured thereto, approach each other and actually contact. At such time, the flat and parallel portion of the jaws are spaced from each other by just enough distance to accommodate plate P, washer W and ear E exerting a slight and unpainful force on the ear. Of course, the inwardly sloping surfaces 38 and 42 could be eliminated any of the prior adjustable stop means substituted therefor, e.g., a screw threaded through one member and directed against some solid portion of its counterpart, whether on handles or jaws.

It will now be apparent that the clamping tools of the present invention accomplish all of the objects set forth at the beginning of this disclosure. The parallel jaws holding the parts of the ear tag avoid the uncertainties and disadvantages of a strictly scissors-type construction. Intricate parts such as floating third jaws are avoided, and the shaft of the ear tag proper may be mounted in one jaw to remain aligned with the holes in any washer or second plate mounted in the other jaw, and similarly remains aligned with the bottom of the slot in the other jaw, as the tool is manipulated to close the jaws together.

Each part of the ear tag is firmly but removably secured to the jaws, utilizing the spring clips secured to the parallel jaws. Seats are provided in the jaws for the parts of the ear tag assembly in the form of the described notches or shoulders, and these shoulders fix the extent to which the ear tag may be inserted in the jaws.

What is claimed is:

1. An ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel jaw pliers having the usual pair of parallel jaws connected to a scissors-type pair of handles articulated from a common pivot, notch means formed on the inner surface of one of said jaws from the outer end thereof to receive an ear tag of the type having a platelike base and a pointed shaft extending normally from said base, the notch receiving the base of the tag with the shaft of the tag pointing toward the other of said jaws, a spring clip secured to the same jaw that contains said notch, said spring clip being fashioned to bear against the plate of the ear tag to hold the same against inadvertent removal from the notch, and a hole formed through the other of said jaws from the end thereof to a point to register with said ear tag shaft, whereby the ear to be tagged may be placed between the parallel jaws and the handles may be squeezed together to drive the pointed shaft through the ear and into the hole in the opposed jaw, and the tool may be removed by pulling it away from the tagged ear to let the base of the tag slide from under the spring clip.

2. An animal ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel jaw pliers having a pair of parallel opposed jaws connected to a pair of handles which when squeezed together cause said jaws to move closer to each other while maintaining their parallel relationship, said jaws having free ends opposite their ends which are connected to the handles, shouldered notches in each of said jaws from their free ends and from their facing inside surfaces, one of said notches being formed to receive and seat the base plate of an ear tag comprising said plate and a pointed shaft secured to the plate and extending normally therefrom, said one notch being formed so that as the plate of the tag is received therein the shaft extends normally toward the other jaw, the notch in said other jaw being fashioned to receive and seat a locking washer so that a hole in the washer is disposed in line with the shaft of the ear tag, said other jaw having a second notch behind the first and extending completely through the thickness of the jaw and from a point where it can receive the shaft to the free end of the jaw, and a pair of spring clips secured to said inside surfaces of the jaws, one to bear against the plate of the ear tag and the other to bear against the washer, each being adapted to press the plate and washer respectively against the jaw in which it is mounted.

3. The clamping tool of claim 2 in which said spring clips are elongated and bifurcated at their ends, each having a slot between said bifurcated ends, one spring clip being formed to contact the plate of the ear tag with the shaft of the tag disposed in said slot, the other spring clip being formed to contact the locking washer with the hole through the washer disposed in registry with the slot of the associated spring clip.

4. The clamping tool of claim 3 in which the lower ends of said spring clips are spaced closer together than the free ends of the parallel jaws, said lower ends of the spring clips thus constituting stops to halt the closing action of the jaws when the tag has been installed without painfully compressing the animals ear.

5. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers, the improvement comprising a slot formed in the free end of one of said jaws from the free end thereof to a blind end spaced from said free end, said slot being formed from that surface of the jaw facing a like surface on the other jaw and partially or completely through the thickness of said one jaw, and a spring clip disposed on such facing surface of the other jaw, said spring clip being secured at one of its ends adjacent the connection of the jaw to the handles of the pliers and having a free end extending toward the free end of the jaw, said spring clip having a relaxed position in which its free end portion touches or lies closely adjacent the jaw on which it is mounted and an operative position in which said portion is further spaced from said jaw to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby an ear tag of the type having a base plate and a shaft secured to and extending from one surface of the plate may be mounted in the spaced-apart jaws with its plate clamped between said spring clip and its associated jaw, and with its shaft extending toward and registering with the slot in the first jaw, and said pliers may thereafter be manipulated to press said jaws toward one another to cause said shaft to extend into said slot, the shaft during such movement of the jaws also passing through any relatively soft object placed between the jaws.

6. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 5 further comprising a second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said second spring also having an end secured to the surface of its associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one another.

7. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles, each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles by a pin and slot connection wherein ei ther the pin or slot is a part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag clamping tool comprising a slot through the thickness of one of said jaws and extending from its distal extremity along the length of the jaw to a blind end, a notch or shoulder formed on the second jaw at a point spaced from its distal extremity, said notch extending across the thickness of the jaw and being disposed on the surface of the jaw spaced from and facing toward a corresponding surface of the first jaw, and a spring clip secured to the same surface of the second jaw, said spring clip being secured to the jaw at a point closer to said pivotal attachment than said shoulder and extending along the length of the jaw, to terminate in a free end lying nearer the distal extremity of the jaw than said shoulder, said spring clip having a.relaxed or inoperative position in which it touches or lies closely adjacent said surface of the jaw and an operative position in which its distal portion is further spaced from said jaw to exert a clamping force on an object inserted between the spring clip and the jaw, said improvement being so disposed that the plate of an ear tag having an indiciabearing plate and a shaft fixed to and extending from one surface of the plate may'be seated under said spring clip and in said notch or shoulder while said shaft extends toward and registers with the blind end portion of the slot in the first jaw.

8. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 7 further comprising a second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said second spring also having an end secured to the surface of its associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one another.

9. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 8 further comprising a second notch or shoulder, said second notch being formed on the surface on the first mentioned jaw and extending across the thickness of the jaw on the surface thereof facing the corresponding surface of the second notch and being disposed lengthwise between the extremities of said jaw, whereby a washer may be seated in said second notch between spring clip and jaw in alignment with the shaft of the ear tag held in the second jaw.

10. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 9 further comprising said second notch being disposed lengthwise generally opposite said notch in the second jaw, whereby a plate-like member of a size approximately equal to the plate of the ear tag may be seated in said second notch so that a hole through the member is aligned with the shaft of the ear tag.

11. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles, each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles by a pin and slot connection wherein either the pin or slot is a part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag clamping tool comprising a spring clip secured to the inner surface of the lower of said jaws, said surface facing toward a corresponding inner surface of the upper jaw and said clip being secured at its proximal end to said surface at a point adjacent the pivotal attachment of the jaw and extending toward the free end of the jaw to terminate in an unsecured distal end, said spring clip having a rest position in which its unsecured end touches or lies closely adjacent said inner surface of the jaw and a flexed position in which said unsecured end is further spaced from said surface to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between the jaw and spring clip, and further comprising a slot or opening in the upper jaw, said slot being disposed with its axis projecting toward said lower jaw, whereby a spring and stud type ear tag may be inserted in the jaws with its plate clamped between-the jaw and spring plate and its stud is disposed in registry with said slot in the upper jaw and will enter said slot as the pliers are manipulated to 

1. An ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel jaw pliers having the usual pair of parallel jaws connected to a scissors-type pair of handles articulated from a common pivot, notch means formed on the inner surface of one of said jaws from the outer end thereof to receive an ear tag of the type having a plate-like base and a pointed shaft extending normally from said base, the notch receiving the base of the tag with the shaft of the tag pointing toward the other of said jaws, a spring clip secured to the same jaw that contains said notch, said spring clip being fashioned to bear against the plate of the ear tag to hold the same against inadvertent removal from the notch, and a hole formed through the other of said jaws from the end thereof to a point to register with said ear Tag shaft, whereby the ear to be tagged may be placed between the parallel jaws and the handles may be squeezed together to drive the pointed shaft through the ear and into the hole in the opposed jaw, and the tool may be removed by pulling it away from the tagged ear to let the base of the tag slide from under the spring clip.
 2. An animal ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel jaw pliers having a pair of parallel opposed jaws connected to a pair of handles which when squeezed together cause said jaws to move closer to each other while maintaining their parallel relationship, said jaws having free ends opposite their ends which are connected to the handles, shouldered notches in each of said jaws from their free ends and from their facing inside surfaces, one of said notches being formed to receive and seat the base plate of an ear tag comprising said plate and a pointed shaft secured to the plate and extending normally therefrom, said one notch being formed so that as the plate of the tag is received therein the shaft extends normally toward the other jaw, the notch in said other jaw being fashioned to receive and seat a locking washer so that a hole in the washer is disposed in line with the shaft of the ear tag, said other jaw having a second notch behind the first and extending completely through the thickness of the jaw and from a point where it can receive the shaft to the free end of the jaw, and a pair of spring clips secured to said inside surfaces of the jaws, one to bear against the plate of the ear tag and the other to bear against the washer, each being adapted to press the plate and washer respectively against the jaw in which it is mounted.
 3. The clamping tool of claim 2 in which said spring clips are elongated and bifurcated at their ends, each having a slot between said bifurcated ends, one spring clip being formed to contact the plate of the ear tag with the shaft of the tag disposed in said slot, the other spring clip being formed to contact the locking washer with the hole through the washer disposed in registry with the slot of the associated spring clip.
 4. The clamping tool of claim 3 in which the lower ends of said spring clips are spaced closer together than the free ends of the parallel jaws, said lower ends of the spring clips thus constituting stops to halt the closing action of the jaws when the tag has been installed without painfully compressing the animal''s ear.
 5. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers, the improvement comprising a slot formed in the free end of one of said jaws from the free end thereof to a blind end spaced from said free end, said slot being formed from that surface of the jaw facing a like surface on the other jaw and partially or completely through the thickness of said one jaw, and a spring clip disposed on such facing surface of the other jaw, said spring clip being secured at one of its ends adjacent the connection of the jaw to the handles of the pliers and having a free end extending toward the free end of the jaw, said spring clip having a relaxed position in which its free end portion touches or lies closely adjacent the jaw on which it is mounted and an operative position in which said portion is further spaced from said jaw to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby an ear tag of the type having a base plate and a shaft secured to and extending from one surface of the plate may be mounted in the spaced-apart jaws with its plate clamped between said spring clip and its associated jaw, and with its shaft extending toward and registering with the slot in the first jaw, and said pliers may thereafter be manipulated to press said jaws toward one another to cause said shaft to extend into said slot, the shaft during such movement of the jaws also passing through any relatively soft object placed between the jaws.
 6. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 5 further comprising a second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said second Spring also having an end secured to the surface of its associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one another.
 7. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles, each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles by a pin and slot connection wherein either the pin or slot is a part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag clamping tool comprising a slot through the thickness of one of said jaws and extending from its distal extremity along the length of the jaw to a blind end, a notch or shoulder formed on the second jaw at a point spaced from its distal extremity, said notch extending across the thickness of the jaw and being disposed on the surface of the jaw spaced from and facing toward a corresponding surface of the first jaw, and a spring clip secured to the same surface of the second jaw, said spring clip being secured to the jaw at a point closer to said pivotal attachment than said shoulder and extending along the length of the jaw, to terminate in a free end lying nearer the distal extremity of the jaw than said shoulder, said spring clip having a relaxed or inoperative position in which it touches or lies closely adjacent said surface of the jaw and an operative position in which its distal portion is further spaced from said jaw to exert a clamping force on an object inserted between the spring clip and the jaw, said improvement being so disposed that the plate of an ear tag having an indicia-bearing plate and a shaft fixed to and extending from one surface of the plate may be seated under said spring clip and in said notch or shoulder while said shaft extends toward and registers with the blind end portion of the slot in the first jaw.
 8. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 7 further comprising a second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said second spring also having an end secured to the surface of its associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one another.
 9. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 8 further comprising a second notch or shoulder, said second notch being formed on the surface on the first mentioned jaw and extending across the thickness of the jaw on the surface thereof facing the corresponding surface of the second notch and being disposed lengthwise between the eXtremities of said jaw, whereby a washer may be seated in said second notch between spring clip and jaw in alignment with the shaft of the ear tag held in the second jaw.
 10. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 9 further comprising said second notch being disposed lengthwise generally opposite said notch in the second jaw, whereby a plate-like member of a size approximately equal to the plate of the ear tag may be seated in said second notch so that a hole through the member is aligned with the shaft of the ear tag.
 11. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles, each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles by a pin and slot connection wherein either the pin or slot is a part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag clamping tool comprising a spring clip secured to the inner surface of the lower of said jaws, said surface facing toward a corresponding inner surface of the upper jaw and said clip being secured at its proximal end to said surface at a point adjacent the pivotal attachment of the jaw and extending toward the free end of the jaw to terminate in an unsecured distal end, said spring clip having a rest position in which its unsecured end touches or lies closely adjacent said inner surface of the jaw and a flexed position in which said unsecured end is further spaced from said surface to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between the jaw and spring clip, and further comprising a slot or opening in the upper jaw, said slot being disposed with its axis projecting toward said lower jaw, whereby a spring and stud type ear tag may be inserted in the jaws with its plate clamped between the jaw and spring plate and its stud is disposed in registry with said slot in the upper jaw and will enter said slot as the pliers are manipulated to close the jaws together. 